Then, the 6-foot-1, 280-pound senior captain was asked about his emotions on the day of the Big Game. His eyes got wide as he answered, and his passion for the game bubbled to the surface.

“It’s heartbeats,” he said. “It’s all heartbeats. You can hear it. It’s nerves. It’s pent-up aggression. It’s anticipation, everyone just wants that kickoff, everyone just wants the national anthem to just fly through. Let’s get out there, let’s flip a coin, let’s kick a ball and let’s start hittin’.”

Quarterback Dan Pitcher said the energy level as game time approaches is unlike anything he’s ever seen.

“It’s a different experience,” he said. “It’s a huge stage and really just the energy. When you walk into the stadium, an hour before the game, and there’s just a buzz. It gives you chills. I’m getting chills thinking about it. It’s an exciting thing.”

Excuse the Red Dragons if they are more anxious than usual as the countdown to the 52nd annual Jug winds down. Cortland (8-1), ranked 20th in the nation, has dropped the last three games in this series with its Division III neighbor.

“We talk about approaching it like every other week and every other game and that’s great, but everybody knows it’s a little bigger,” said Pitcher, a graduate student who has thrown at least one touchdown pass in a school-record 11 straight games.

“There’s no doubt about it and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

That was the consensus among those gathered at Wednesday’s pre-game media conference at Cortland’s Hall of Fame room. This game is unique and the players and coaches view it as a privilege to take part.

“We understand the tradition behind the game and all people who have participated in it before us,” said Ithaca captain Dan Ruffrage, a senior wide receiver from Utica Notre Dame. “We’re just looking forward to having some fun on Saturday and keeping the tradition alive.”

The two men who started the whole thing in 1959 when they bought the original jug for a few bucks — Cortland captain Tom Decker and Ithaca captain Dick Carmean — will be among the sellout crowd of 10,000 at Cortland. Blue- and red-clad alums will gather all over the country to watch and perhaps raise a glass or two.

“This really brings the communities together,” Ruffrage said. “It’s important to everyone, the players, the coaches, the students on campus at each school. We just want to come out and give them something to be proud of.”

Those lucky enough to get a ticket usually get their money’s worth.

Ten of the last 13 games have come down to the final two minutes with the outcome in doubt. Cortland won in overtime in 2005 and 2006 and had its perfect season spoiled with a 35-13 loss in 2008. Ithaca leads the all-time series 39-26-3 and is 34-17 in Jug games.

This season, the Bombers (6-3) can only play the role of spoiler, while Cortland has earned a share of the New Jersey Athletic Confefence title. Depending on Saturday’s tie-breakers, the Red Dragons can earn the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA playoffs.

Of course, the 2010 resume doesn’t mean much once Saturday arrives.

“It’s a marvelous game,” Cortland coach Dan MacNeill said. “Eighty-eight starting positions. 88 people waiting to get on the field and 88 people have to perform in a perfect manner, as we know, the be able to prevail. That’s what we’re focused on. I hope that’s what we’re focused on.”

Ithaca coach Mike Welch is a veteran of 30 Cortaca Jug games as a player, assistant and head coach at Ithaca. He said the crowds really took off in the 1980s, when folks from both schools began marking the second week of November for a return pilgrimage to Central New York. He marveled at the Jug’s longevity.

“When something survives the test of time, which this has, it must be something special,” he said. “This is different than any other game.”